'Why I Want to Go to College' Writing Sweepstakes 2023
Treasurer Murante Announces ‘Why I Want to Go to College’ Winners

Today, Nebraska Treasurer John Murante announced the winners in the 2023 “Why I Want to Go to College” contest, sponsored by the Nebraska State Treasurer’s Office and the Omaha Storm Chasers. The winners will be recognized before the start of the May 21st Omaha Storm Chasers game at Werner Park in Papillion.

“The hard work of these extremely talented individuals at Werner Park is always such a treat. It’s wonderful that we can bring attention to the importance of financial literacy and saving for higher education,” said Treasurer Murante, Trustee of NEST. “Congratulations to these students and I look forward to meeting with them later this month.”

Winners receive contributions to NEST 529 college savings plans, ranging in value from $500 for third place, $1,000 for second place, and $2,000 for first place. Three winners were chosen in each of Nebraska’s three U.S. congressional districts. Three winners from outside Nebraska were also chosen.

Students were asked to reflect in their written entries on the value of education and what they hope to achieve through higher education. Winners of the 2023 contest and their hometowns are listed below:

1st Congressional District – Nebraska

Julius Bovick,Papillion
Emry Brandon,Bellevue
Leann Braatz,Lincoln

2nd Congressional District – Nebraska

Thomas Michael Molstad,Omaha
Lillian Guenther,Papillion
McKenna Songster,Springfield

3rd Congressional District— Nebraska

Britney Barnard,Wauneta
Ty John Bolli,Ainsworth
Kyron Kleist,Aurora

Out of State

Josh Fratzel,Shawnee, KS
Delaney Messersmith,Highlands Ranch, CO
Autumn Groneberg,Hugo, MN

About NEST 529

NEST 529 is a tax-advantaged 529 college savings plan and provides four plans to help make saving for college simple and affordable: NEST Direct College Savings Plan, the NEST Advisor College Savings Plan, the Bloomwell 529 Education Savings Plan, and the State Farm 529 Savings Plan. The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as Program Trustee. Union Bank & Trust Company serves as Program Manager, and all investments are approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. Families nationwide are saving for college using Nebraska’s 529 College Savings Plans, which have more than 297,000 accounts, including over 97,000 Nebraskans. Visit NEST529.com and treasurer.nebraska.gov for more information.

About Union Bank & Trust

Founded in 1917 with over 50 years of family ownership, Union Bank & Trust offers complete banking, lending, investment, and trust services. The bank has 38 full-service and loan production offices in Nebraska and Kansas. It is the third-largest privately owned bank in Nebraska, with bank assets of $7.6 billion and trust assets of $43.6 billion as of December 31, 2022. Voters have chosen Union Bank & Trust as Best Bank, Best Customer Service, Best Work Environment, and Best Financial Planner in Lincoln for eleven years running.

Important Legal Information

An investor should consider the investment objectives, risks, and charges and expenses associated with municipal fund securities before investing. This and other important information is contained in the fund prospectuses and the NEST Direct College Savings Plan Program Disclosure Statement (issuer’s official statement), which should be read carefully before investing. You can lose money by investing in an Investment Option. Each of the Investment Options involves investment risks, which are described in the Program Disclosure Statement.

An investor should consider, before investing, whether the investor’s or beneficiary’s home state offers any state tax or other state benefits such as financial aid, scholarship funds, and protection from creditors that are only available for investments in such state’s 529 plan. Investors should consult their tax advisor, attorney, and/or other advisor regarding their specific legal, investment, or tax situation.

The NEST Direct College Savings Plan (the “Plan”) is sponsored by the State of Nebraska, administered by the Nebraska State Treasurer, and the Nebraska Investment Council provides investment oversight. Union Bank and Trust Company serves as Program Manager for the Plan. The Plan offers a series of Investment Options within the Nebraska Educational Savings Plan Trust (the “Trust”), which offers other Investment Options not affiliated with the Plan. The Plan is intended to operate as a qualified tuition program.

Except for any investments made by a Plan participant in the Bank Savings Static Investment Option up to the limit provided by Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance, neither the principal contributed to an account, nor earnings thereon, are guaranteed or insured by the State of Nebraska, the Nebraska State Treasurer, the Nebraska Investment Council, the Trust, the Plan, any other state, any agency or instrumentality thereof, Union Bank and Trust Company, the FDIC, or any other entity. Investment returns are not guaranteed. Account owners in the Plan assume all investment risk, including the potential loss of principal.

1 National Center for Education Statistics. (2022). Price of Attending an Undergraduate Institution. Condition of Education. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved March 10, 2023, from https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/cua

2 Withdrawals used to pay for qualified higher education expenses are free from federal and Nebraska state income tax. Qualified higher education expenses include tuition, fees, books, supplies, and equipment required for enrollment or attendance; certain room and board expenses incurred by students who are enrolled at least half-time; the purchase of computer or peripheral equipment, computer software, or Internet access and related services, if used primarily by the beneficiary during any of the years the beneficiary is enrolled at an eligible educational institution; certain expenses for special needs services needed by a special needs beneficiary; apprenticeship program expenses; and payment of principal or interest on any qualified education loan of the Beneficiary or a sibling of the Beneficiary (up to an aggregate lifetime limit of $10,000 per individual). However, earnings on all other types of withdrawals are generally subject to federal and Nebraska state income taxes, and an additional 10% federal tax.

Nebraska law does not treat the following Federal Qualified Higher Education Expenses as Nebraska Qualified Expenses: K–12 Tuition Expenses. If a withdrawal is made for such purposes, although it is a Federal Qualified Withdrawal, it will be treated as a Nebraska Non-Qualified Withdrawal and may result in the recapture of a previously claimed Nebraska state income tax deduction, and the earnings portion will be subject to Nebraska state income tax. Please consult your tax professional about your particular situation.


3 Account owners may deduct for Nebraska income tax purposes contributions they make to their own account (and any other accounts they own in the Nebraska Educational Savings Plan Trust) up to an overall maximum of $10,000 ($5,000 if married, filing separately). Contributions in excess of $10,000 cannot be carried over to a future year. For a minor-owned or UGMA/UTMA 529 account, the minor is considered the account owner for Nebraska state income tax deduction purposes. The minor must file a Nebraska tax return for the year their contributions are made to be eligible for a tax deduction for their own contributions. In the case of a UGMA/UTMA 529 account, contributions by the parent/ guardian listed as the Custodian on the UGMA/UTMA Plan account are also eligible for a Nebraska state tax deduction.
Investments Are Not FDIC Insured* · No Bank, State or Federal Guarantee · May Lose Value
*Except the Bank Savings Static Investment Option Underlying Investment
  • Charles Isom
  • Director of Communications
  • 402-471-8884